Before recess I signed up to the campaign to end blacklisting throughout Scotland, particularly in the construction trade. The campaign from Unite the Union, calls for an end to what it describes as ‘arguably the worst human rights abuse against workers since the war’.
Blacklisting is the termination of workers employment for issues that are not directly related to their performance. Once sacked these names are added to a central list for potential employers to check against.
The past two days, during topical and general questions in the Scottish Parliament , I have questioned the Energy Minister Fergus Ewing on the liquidation of Scottish Coal. Administrators Blaire Nimmo and Tony Friar have so far laid off 590 workers across Scotland including 18 of the 28 jobs at St Ninian’s at Kelty.
The news of Scottish Coal’s liquidation comes after St Ninians gained permission to extract a further 70,000 tonnes of coal from the site near Kelty. We have seen this week, in the report from Coalfields Regeneration Trust,that in Scotland deprivation is higher in coalfield areas than non-coalfield areas. Scottish Coal’s liquidation will, sadly, only add to that. Continue reading
The sad news that DE Shoes and Foot Factory have failed to find a buyer and will be closing their stores, in Fife and beyond, is a devastating blow for their workers and local high streets.
The Dundee based company that has been in existence for 146 years however after failing to sell the company the decision has been taken to close, with the loss of more than 160 jobs across Scotland. The decisions to close was taken after the company suffered a pre-tax loss of nearly £500,000.
In Fife DE Shoes have stores in Cowdenbeath, Cupar and St Andrews, however these will now be holding a closing down sale with 25% off all stock before finally closing.
Week by week we are hearing news of more high street chains going into receivership, shops being shut and jobs lost. Towns throughout the Kingdom and across Scotland are at the risk of turning into ghost towns if vital help is not given.
With staff being faced with finding themselves out of a job any day now we must work together to ensure that we get through the recession. We have the skills and resources right here on our doorstep but we need investment in jobs and education to provide opportunities for the people of Fife.
I have called on the Scottish Government to take action after a labour market report highlighted that North East Fife has experienced one of the worst real terms wages decline in Scotland.
The report from the STUC found that North East Fife has seen a real terms decline in the median gross weekly pay of 18.7% which is almost three times higher than the Scottish average of 6.4% since 2007. Only two areas in the whole of Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway (24.2%) and Glasgow East (23%), show a higher decrease in wages. The figures also show that across Scotland the average worker is £27.12 a week and £1410.24 a year worse off.
The people of North East Fife are facing disproportionate reductions to their wages compared with the rest of Scotland and it is vital that the Government at both Holyrood and Westminster take action to address the decline in real term wages. North East Fife has seen a dramatic decline in the value of their salaries at a time when prices are rising and household budgets are being squeezed. This takes money out of the local economy at a time when town centres and small businesses are struggling.
The report from the STUC follows on from last week’s monthly job figures which showed an increase in those claiming job seekers allowance across the Kingdom in the past year, with a significant increase in the number of women claiming job seekers allowance.
The Scottish Government could be taking bold action now to ensure that this imbalance is addressed but would rather put Scotland on pause to focus on the referendum. I will be writing to the Scottish Government to highlight these shocking figures and ask what action they will be taking to identify what the reasons behind the decline are and what it will be doing to address it.
I have called for the Scottish Government to take action to ensure more females and young people are entering the job market after latest figures show an increase in those claiming job seekers allowance.
According to latest statistics the number of people unemployed in Scotland has fallen by 4,000, however the number of women unemployed has risen by 8,000. Whilst any fall in unemployment should be welcomed when you look beyond the headline figures there is still serious cause for concern as economic inactivity is higher now than it was last year.
Unemployment amongst women is up by 8,000 since November and in every constituency in Fife the number of women claiming job seekers allowance has risen. More needs to be done to encourage women back into the workplace. This includes the SNP carrying through on their own election promises to ensure childcare is affordable and accessible to all.
There has also been a rise, of 2000, in February, in the number of young people claiming job seekers allowance. Locally in the Kingdom, the number of people claiming job seekers allowance has risen in the past year, with the number of females claiming rising in every Fife constituency.
The question the Scottish Government must answer is what action is it taking to ensure our young people have a chance to get a job rather than joining a queue at the local job center.
Local Fife MSP Claire Baker has today joined calls for action to save the Byre Theatre in St Andrews.
The Mid Scotland and Fife MSP joined locals in a demonstration in St Andrews on Monday to support the threatened theatre.
The board of the Byre Theatre of St Andrews Ltd have announced that due to financial difficulties the theatre is due to close its doors on Thursday and go into liquidation.
Speaking after the demonstration Claire Baker MSP said:
“The news that Byre Theatre is to close this week is hugely disappointing to the people of St Andrews and the wider Fife community.
“This is a fantastic theatre – at the heart of the community – delivering quality theatre in a top class centre. It deserves to have a future. Continue reading
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics have shown that despite a fall in unemployment across the UK in Scotland it has risen by 4,000 between July and September. Similarly whilst employment in the UK has risen there has been a fall of 27,000 north of the border.
Locally the amount of people claiming job seekers allowance in Mid Scotland and Fife stands at over 15,000. Kirkcaldy has the highest number of claimants in the region with 6.2% of the population on job seekers allowance, this compares with a national average across Scotland of 3.9%. Other areas in the Kingdom with a higher than national average for job seeker claimants includes Mid Fife and Glenrothes with 4.6% and Cowdenbeath with 4.5%.
Youth unemployment has also risen sharply over the last quarter in Scotland, increasing by 10,000 amongst 16 to 24 year old.
Commenting on the new figures, local MSP Claire Baker said:
“What we are seeing across Fife is the consequences of the actions taken by the Scottish Government. The people of Kirkcaldy have the skills and resources to work but the SNP aren’t giving them the opportunities. We need investment in jobs and education instead we see the queues at the job centre and on college waiting lists growing.
“Kirkcaldy now has, on average, almost double the amount of job seeker claimants than across the whole of Scotland. Unemployment is going up, employment is going down and the SNP are currently in a complete shambles over college places and budgets.